To Save A Life
by AVampireBride
Summary: Somebody is saved but who is it? ONE SHOT


Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. The rest belongs to history and James Cameron.

A/N: Its not exactly historically accurate. I followed the script only a little and changed a few events around. I don't want to give anything else away so read away!

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"Mr. Andrews, please, you must come with us," Rose pleaded. Moments earlier, as she and Jack were racing through the first class dining room on their way to safety, Rose came to an abrupt halt. She saw the man she had come to love like a second father merely standing in front of the elaborate fire place, counting down the minutes on the clock until Titanic would flounder from beneath him.

"Rose, we have to go," Jack insisted. He had a special place for the Master Shipbuilder in his heart but now was not the time to dawdle. Rose knew that. Cal Hockley or his monkey Lovejoy could be on their trail.

"No, please. Wait a moment," Rose said to Jack. She turned back to Mr. Andrews. "Please, sir. I have already lost one father and cannot bear to lose another. Think of your own family. Your wife and daughter. Please come with us."

"Young Rose, there is so much about life you have yet to learn. My wife and child will understand," the wise, older man told the teenager.

"Won't you at least try, then, Mr. Andrews?" wondered Rose.

The creative genius shook his head, indicating 'no.' "I'm afraid not, Miss Rose. There is a time and a place for everything, and this is my time and place to pass on."

A single tear glistened on Rose's cheek. "I thank you, sir. You have been a large influence on my life these few days. Without you… I couldn't begin to think where I would be at this point…"

"Rose, we really need to go now," Jack demanded.

"Not yet, Jack. Mr. Andrews, if you were to live you could explain all this. Why it happened and how. You can put so many rumors and stories to rest before they even happen. You know something is going to come of this; people are going to go to court. Surviving officers like Officer Lowe are going to be interrogated until they can't take any more. Their lives will be ruined. But you, if you survived they would listen to you. Please come with us, sir."

Thomas Andrews looked into the pleading eyes of the young girl who had become so dear to him these few days. She was such a bright young woman, full of life now that she was free from that monster, whatever his name was. If going with her this once made her feel like she had saved his life then he would do it. He would leave them as soon as he saw that she was safe.

"All right, young Rose. I will come with you and Mr. Dawson. But please, for heaven's sake, put this lifebelt on. It will give me some ease of mind."

Mr. Andrews assisted Rose in placing the lifebelt over her head and securely tied the straps himself.

"Come along, this way," ever the gentleman, Andrews escorted the youthful couple to the deck. Jack held onto Rose's hand tightly, now willing to let it go unless he absolutely needed too. "I'm afraid there are no lifeboats left…"

"We already knew that, sir," Jack pointed out. "Rose was on one but jumped out as it was being lowered." 

"She did what? Rose, why would you do that? You know that there aren't enough lifeboats by half, not even with the collapsibles. So many souls are going to perish tonight." 

"We aren't going to be them, Mr. Andrews," Jack insisted. "Rose and I, we're survivors, and so are you."

The shipbuilder gathered what little strength he had left and managed a weak smile for Jack and Rose. "Come on then, we have to get to the stern. I reckon that is about the safest place left on this ship."

Jack and Rose raced along behind the creator of the Ship of Dreams. For them, it really had been such. A few short days ago Rose was a caged butterfly waiting to be released from her prison and Jack was just the man to do it. She thought her life was all planned out for her, like Titanic in Mr. Andrews' blueprints. But Jack came along just in time and saved her. Now she planned on saving Thomas Andrews if it was the last thing she ever did. Rose felt as though she had lived her life as best as she could during the time she had on Titanic, but Mr. Andrews had a family, a wife and a child at home waiting for his safe return. Maybe even one day Jack would start a family with her…

"When the ship docks, I am getting off with you," she told him, only a few short hours ago.

"This is crazy," had been his reply.

"I know," she said. "That's why I trust it."

And she did. Rose trusted Jack with everything in her being.

The tilt of the deck was so severe now that Jack, Rose, and Mr. Andrews had to hang onto the bars of the railing like they were life preservers. Up, up, and up with the stern, higher and higher. Finally, the passengers heard a sharp cracking noise, then noises that cannot be described. Ear piercing screams could be heard for miles as the stern of the Titanic, once nearly up right like a skyscraper, plummeted back down into the water.

"What was that, Mr. Andrews?" questioned Jack.

"I believe the hull has broken in two and the bow section has completely detached itself. The stern is going to sink, I don't know how."

With one arm, Jack held onto the railing and with the other held onto Rose for dear life. She looked him in the eyes, with all the love she had in her being, "Jack, this is where we first met."

Jack studied her eyes for a moment, searching, before fiercely kissing Rose's forehead and holding onto her tighter. Andrews watched this exchange between lovers and decided that, if it were the last thing he did, the both of these two would survive.

The stern began tilting sharply again, raising itself to the same position as before. Meanwhile, Andrews showed them how to climb over the railing so they were on top of the ship. Jack climbed over first, and then assisted Rose. "Come on, Rose. Give me your hand."

Jack pulled Rose over the white metal railing. Mr. Andrews looked about to see if any other passengers had done the same. A man in a white baker's uniform was next to him. "Evening, gent," the man said.

Mr. Andrews recognized him as the head baker on the ship. "Good evening, sir."

"Fine ship, she was, Mr. Andrews. 'Tis a shame, a real shame."

Andrews could not believe he was chatting about the ship at a time like this. He just shook his head in the man's direction before turning back to Rose and Jack. "Now," he began. "The ship will act like a suction and want to pull you down. When I give the word, take a deep breath and don't let it out. Jump when I say jump. When you get in the water kick as hard as you can for the surface. Don't let go of Jack's hand, Rose. Whatever you do, don't let go. Swim away from the debris and passengers if you can, and find a floating object. Get onto it, both of you if possible, and wait for the boats to come back."

"You'll be right beside us, won't you, sir?" Rose wanted to know.

"Yes, Rose. I will be."

As the stern sank away into the murky water, Andrews called out "Hold your breath!" and then "JUMP!" Jack and Rose did exactly what the builder told them to do. The suction was so strong it nearly jerked Rose's hand out of Jack's. He pulled her to the surface just as she was about to let go.

"Swim, Rose. I need you to swim."

"Mr. Andrews…"

"Mr. Andrews knows what to do. I need you to swim now."

Rose obeyed and kicked her feet furiously in the direction Jack was swimming. The water was so cold. It took her breath away the instant she touched the water. Her lungs felt like they could collapse at any moment. But she swam anyway, because Jack told her too. He was saving her life and his own at the same time so it was the least she could do. Several moments later they were clear off the other passengers. Jack managed to find a large piece of wood, maybe a door, floating nearby. He pushed Rose up on the wood, nearly toppling her back into the water when he pulled on it the wrong way. "Sit still now, Rose, I'm coming up."

Jack shimmied his way up the board, much like his father had showed him after pulling him out of Lake Wisota when he nearly drowned that winter day. "You did good, Rose. Now we just need to wait for the boats to come back."

"Its so cold, Jack."

"Don't you give up. I'm not going to lose you, Rose."

"Where do you think Mr. Andrews is? I hope…"

"Don't think about that now. Mr. Andrews made you a promise, and a gentleman always keeps his promise. Andrews is a good, strong Irishman. He'll make it." Huddled together to keep what little warmth was between them, Jack and Rose had nothing to do but wait for a lifeboat to come back. Eventually the screams for lost loved ones and help became complete silence.

"Jack? Its so cold, Jack. So cold. And so quiet."

"Sing to me, Rose. Come on. Come Josephine in my flying machine… you know the words. Sing it to me."

"I don't feel like singing, Jack."

"For me? It'll keep you busy."

"Come Josephine in my flying machine, going up she goes, up she goes…"

Almost a moment later a flash of light crossed over the two lovers floating together on the piece of wood. Jack, thinking he was seeing things, jerked his head around when the light came back across his face. And then, as if send by an angel, he heard a voice…

"Is anyone alive out there? Can anyone hear me?"

"Rose! There's a boat, Rose! A boat has come back! Didn't I tell you one would? Come on, help me scream."

"I'm so cold…"

"Stay here, Rose. I'll be right back." Carefully Jack rolled off the door into the freezing water. He swam to the nearby dead officer he thought was Officer Wilde. Taking the whistle from the dead man's mouth, Jack blew several times, each time growing louder.

The torch's light flew to his face as he heard the words "COME ABOUT!" being shouted. Several moments went by as he swam back through the floating debris to Rose, barely conscious now. The officer's torchlight followed him the entire way.

"They're coming to get us, Rose. Don't you go to sleep on me. Rose? They're coming!"

As the boat drew near, Rose heard someone else's voice calling her name besides Jack's. For a second she thought it was Cal's but could it be? No… Rose looked up into the face that was talking to her.

"Come along, young Rose, into the boat with you. You'll catch your death of cold sitting there all night."

"MR. ANDREWS!" Rose shouted. Rose scrambled over the side of the boat into the arms of a laughing Mr. Andrews. Somehow, at a time like this, he managed to find humor in something to get her out of her stupor and make her laugh. "How did you…?"

Crewmen in the boat were frantically wrapping blankets around Jack and Rose to warm them up while Rose was squirming around. "Sit still, love. You'll tip us over!"

"Mr. Andrews, how did you make it to a boat?"

"I swam, just like I told you too."

"You swam all the way to a boat?"

"No, dear. I'm as wet as a fish. I swam away and found a deck chair and clung to it until they just picked me up."

"Oh, Mr. Andrews…"

"Here now. Wrap yourself with these blankets and try to warm yourself best as possible. I see Jack is a hero."

"Thank you, sir," Jack said. Rose scooted closer to Jack as he wrapped his arms around her, then kissed her head.

Later on, on their savior the Carpathia, Mr. Andrews again found Jack and Rose huddled together on a deck chair, sipping from a mug of hot soup. As the shipbuilder approached, Jack stood, his hand out reached. "Thank, Mr. Andrews. Without you I don't think Rose and I would have made it off the ship alive."

"No, thank you. If Rose hadn't pushed me I don't think I would be alive. I've sent a telegram to my wife, but who knows if she'll get it. The board men are swamped as it is."

Rose stood now, hugging Andrews. "You're like a father to me, sir. I thank you for bringing me to Jack."

"I think of you as my own daughter, Rose. I would like to invite you both to stay at my American home for as long as you both may like when we arrive in New York in a few days. I will be staying there myself until my wife and daughter are able to join me."

"Really? Mr. Andrews…"

"Please, call me Thomas."

"Thomas, sir, that is too nice of you. I don't think we could ever repay you."

"You already have. You saved my life."


End file.
